ABOUT JUSTICE CECILIA MUÑOZ HIGHSCHOOL

With only 280 students in 1988, the Payatas High School began as an annex of Lagro High School in Quezon City. It became independent in April 2002 and on 22 November 2006, the school was renamed to Justice Cecilia Muñoz-Palma High School (JCMPHS) in honor of Justice Palma who had many big dreams for the youth of the Payatas area. Under the leadership of its immediate-past principal, Ms. Juanita C. Alajar, the school has developed into an anchor institution in the Payatas Area that gives hope to the community. The majority of the students attending the JCMPHS come from underprivileged families residing in and around the area. Scavenging in the dumpsite, vegetable vending, and serving as ‘kasambahays’ are the main sources of income of these families.

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

The difficult economic conditions of the families bring about pooracademic performance, absenteeism, tardiness, high illiteracy, and high incidence of dropouts among the students. Despite theseconditions, many students are determined to improve their lives through a decent education.The JCMPHS aims to improve the literacy rate of its students by improving their reading skills, oral and written Englishcommunication skills, as well as their overall academic performance. One way of achieving this is for the teachers to build their competency level, enhance pedagogical skills, and improve their inter- and intra-personal intelligence.In 2013, 220 members of the JCMPHS faculty attended the Basic Formation Program of Magna. Dr. Agapito T. Lera assumed the position of principal at the end of July 2015. Magna is currently discussing with Dr. Lera the final number of teachers who will enroll in the MAEd-SCD.